BP Oil Spill Claims

M. Lewis Hall, III

To continue assisting Williams Parker’s business clients with BP claims, we have teamed with two BP oil spill law firms: Florida-based Dean Law Firm (“DLF”) and nationally recognized class action law firm Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein (“LCHB”) based in California. DLF and LCHB have represented a wide variety of Southwest Florida businesses in connection with the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including automobile, boat, and equipment dealerships and manufacturers, restaurants, marinas, and retailers of all sizes.

Our clients also benefit from a strategic alliance with forensic accounting firm Berryhill Hoffman (“BH”), a group of highly regarded accountants particularly known for their business-damage calculation experience and intimate knowledge of the BP settlement damage formulas. The BP settlement agreement involves the use of complex accounting formulas to properly document damage calculations when submitting a claim, and BH has expertise in navigating that process. All accounting costs are payable by BP at the time the claim is paid. BH’s damage calculation experience and proven protocols for handling BP claims help ensure our clients’ claims are properly calculated, promptly submitted, and accurately documented – all at no out-of-pocket cost to our clients.

Who is Eligible?
All businesses (other than banks, insurance companies, oil-related companies, real estate developers, gaming firms, or businesses which previously signed a final release with the Gulf Coast Claims Facility) located within the Florida Keys and all barrier islands along the Gulf Coast and Sarasota, St. Pete Beach, and Clearwater, automatically meet the initial causation requirements if they suffered any loss after the oil spill.
All eligible businesses not located on the barrier islands must show a “dip” in revenues in any three-month period in 2010 after the spill (May-December) as compared to the same three-month period in 2009, an average of 2007-2009, or an average of 2007-2008. In addition to a revenue decline in 2010, businesses (other than those located on the barrier islands or the keys) must also show an upturn in revenue of at least five percent in 2011 as compared to 2010.

What is the Cost?
There is no fee or cost to a client unless there is a recovery. BP claims are handled on a court-mandated contingency fee basis of 25 percent of the gross amount recovered.